Fes el-Bali medina
Walk the Talaa Kebira from Bab Boujloud down through the souks to the Karaouine — the world's oldest continuously operating university (859 AD).
Chefchaouen, MoroccoConcierge · 7 Days · 9–21H GMT+1
Imperial city · Northern Morocco
Fes, Morocco
Morocco's spiritual capital and the southern gateway to the blue city — 200 km of mountain road from Chefchaouen.
Best time
April–May and September–October
Recommended
2–3 days
Airport
Fès-Saïs (FEZ)
Region
Imperial city · Northern Morocco
Why Fes
Founded in 789 AD, Fes is the oldest of Morocco's four imperial cities and the natural overland gateway to Chefchaouen, 200 km north up the Rif road (about 4 hours). Many blue-city itineraries begin or end here. Fes el-Bali is a UNESCO-listed medina of more than 9,000 alleys, free of cars and barely touched by motorbikes, where Morocco's craft traditions are still practised daily — tanneries, brass-beating, weaving and the bookbinders of the Karaouine. Where Chaouen is a small indigo town you can read in a morning, Fes is a vast brown labyrinth best unravelled slowly, with a historian, from a restored riad inside the walls.
What to see
Highlights of Fes.
Chouara tanneries
The famous pigment vats viewed from a leather shop terrace. Best in the morning when the light hits the pits.
Medersa Bou Inania & el-Attarine
Two 14th-century Marinid madrasas with carved cedar, stucco and zellige at its finest.
Volubilis & Meknes
A perfect day trip: Roman mosaics at Volubilis, then lunch and the imperial gates of Meknes.
Pottery quarter & blue gates
Watch the cobalt-and-white Fassi ceramics thrown, glazed and fired across the river — a different shade of Moroccan blue from the lime-washed walls of Chaouen, and a fitting last stop before the drive north.
Itineraries
1 tour that visit Fes.
Every itinerary below is privately operated, fully customisable, and includes a deep stop in Fes. Click any tour for the day-by-day plan, the map, dates and pricing.
Before you go
Practical notes.
- Getting there: Fly into FEZ, or 4h drive from Tangier, 7h from Marrakech
- Where to stay: Inside the medina in a restored dar or riad
- Dress code: Respectful — shoulders and knees covered near religious sites
Concierge
Have your Fes trip designed by a local
Tell us your dates, group size and pace. We'll send back a written proposal within 24 hours — private guides, transfers, riads, the lot.
Request a proposalFAQ
Fes — common questions.
Is Fes worth visiting if I've already seen Marrakech?+
Yes — they are completely different cities. Marrakech is open, theatrical and modern around the edges. Fes is denser, older, more religious and still very much a living medieval city. It also makes the most logical base from which to drive north to Chefchaouen.
How do I get from Fes to Chefchaouen?+
By road. There is no train or airport at Chefchaouen, so the standard approach is a 200 km drive north through the Rif (about 4 hours) by private transfer or CTM/Supratours bus. Many travellers spend two or three nights in Fes first, then continue up to the blue city.
Do I need a guide for the Fes medina?+
Strongly recommended for at least the first day. Without one you will get lost — part of the charm, but it costs you the context. Chefchaouen's far smaller medina, by contrast, is easy to navigate alone.
Closest destinations
Pair Fes with.
These destinations are closest to Fes — easily combined on a private itinerary.
51 kmNorthern Morocco · Meknès-Tafilalet
Volubilis & Moulay Idriss
Roman mosaics and a hilltop holy town on the road north — Volubilis and Moulay Idriss near Meknes, the classic history day before the Rif climb to the blue city.
Explore53 kmImperial city · Northern Morocco
Meknes
The quiet imperial city of Moulay Ismail — monumental gates, vast granaries and Roman Volubilis next door.
Explore
57 kmMiddle Atlas · Ifrane Province
Ifrane
Swap lime-washed Rif walls for red-roofed alpine chalets — Ifrane, the cedar-forested 'Little Switzerland' of snow and Barbary macaques an hour south of Fes on the way down from the blue city.
ExploreRead more
From the journal.
Travel notes and practical guides to plan your time around Fes.